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- GASKET; N0. 592,799. Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. T. LOOMIS. GASKET.

Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

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as no. worau'mmwAsumwon UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

HARRY T. LOOMIS, OF ONEIDA, NEIV YOR K, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASKET COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,799, dated November 2, 1897. Application filed August 14, 1896. Serial No. 602,711. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY TQLOOMIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oneida, in the county of Madison, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Caskets, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsjsa full, clear, and'eXact description.

My invention relates to burial cases or cas kets; and the object is to provide such cases or caskets with one or more canopy-topsand to form such top or tops of a portion of p the body of the case or casket. Such canopies are simple, occupy no extra space when closed, and present when open a very attractive and pleasing appearance.

To this end my invention consists in a casket or burial-case, a canopy formed of the lid of the casket, a movable support for the canopy formed from a portion of the casketbody, said lid being hinged to'the'portion of the casket-body and adapted to be folded to close the casket; and my invention consists in certain other combinations of parts hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and form ing a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of a closed casket embodying my invention." Fig. 2 shows the same casket partly open. ing the canopy-top entirely open. Fig. 4. shows a portion of the frame supporting the top shown in Fig. 3. Fig.5 shows a modified form of my invention wherein only about half of the top of the casket is open and used to form the canopy, and Fig. 6 shows a casket with a canopy-top open at each end thereof.

Referring specifically to the drawings, A is the base of the casket, B and B are the sides, and O is the cover or lid. In order to form a canopy of a portion of the body of the casket, I preferably divide the sides thereof substantially on a horizontal plane just 'below the upper molding into sections. The line of division may extend the entire length of the casket or not, depending on the size or number of the canopies to be formed on the casket. Said dividing-line may be curved or waved, as shown, or otherwise formed for the purpose of strengthening the sections or to present a pleasing appearance.

Fig. 3 shows the portion forln- Referring more particularly to Figs. l to 4, inclusive, it will be noticed'that although the line of division a extends throughout the entire length of the central portion of-the body of the case or the sides B B only about twothirds of the uppersection Bis used to form the canopy, the said section being divided on avertical plane at b between the center and the foot end of the case. It is not necessary to continue the division beyond the line b to form-the canopy shown in these figures, but said division is sometimes continued to better expose to view the interior of the casket or its contents. Not only is the foot end of the upper section hinged to the lower section so that it may be raised, but the lid or cover G is hinged to this upper section so that" it may be raised, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings, or turned down in a horizontal position, as illustrated by the broken lines g in the same figure.

The part of the upper section forming the canopy is suitably hinged to'jthe lower portion of the casket at the head end, so thatit may be raised to a vertical position and sustained in this position by a suitable brace, as c. The lid C is hinged to the upright part or frame B, so that it may lie in ahorizontal position not only when the casket is closed, but also when the canopy is entirely'opened to form the top or cover, as shown in Fig. 3. I have supplied the lid with fringe fin the figure to give a clearer idea of the appearance of the canopy when trimmed. The trimmings on the casket, including the canopy, may be of any suitable and well-known material and design. The upper end of the frame B forms a support to hold the lid 0 in ahorizontal position. When the case is closed, it will be obvious that the upper side of the canopy-top 0 becomes the lower side of the cover of the casket and that the fringe f will fall upon the sides of the casket.

The hinges d, braces o, and catches or fastening devices may also be of any suitable and well-known form or design not necessary to be herein more clearly shown and described, as they form in themselves no part of myin- Ioo vention.

If it is not desirable to open the casket to form the canopy, the foot end thereof may be opened, as indicated by the broken lines e e in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the lid C may then be hinged to the foot end, as indicated in the figure. As the part B of the canopy is a frame, the interior of the casket may be viewed through the same whether in its raised position or not.

The style of casket described may be made, of course, in any size; but the styles or de signs shown in Figs. 5 and 0 are thought to be more suitable for large sizes.

The only diilerence, however, between the casket shown in Fig. 5 and that described lies in interrupting the line of division a at or near the center of the casket, or not cont-inn ing it beyond the portion of the upper part necessary to form the canopy. It will be noticed also that the line of division I) is curved, which improves the appearance of the case.

In Fig. (3 a canopy is formed at each end of the case, said canopies being of equal size. The braces c 0, indicated as supporting the upright portions of the canopies, are of the class that are concealed when the canopies are closed.

I do not desire to be limited to the precise forms of canopies shown, as it will be obvious that their forms may be changed widely without departing from my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a casket or burial-case, a canopy formed of the lid of the casket, a movable support for the canopy formed from a portion of the casket-body, said lid being hinged to the portion of the casket-body and adapted to be folded to close the casket, as set forth.

2. A casket or burial-case divided in sections said sect-ions being suitablyconnected together, one of said sections being adapted to be raised to a vertical position to support the lid in a horizontal position on its upper end over the lower section of the casket, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a casket or burial-case, a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section hinged to the lower section atone end and adapted to be raised to a vertical position, means to support said section in the vertical position, and the lid hinged to the upper end of the movable section and adapted to be raised to bear with its opposite side on the upper end of the movable section, as and for the purpose described.

4. In a casket or burial-case, a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section divided into two parts, each part beinghinged to the opposite ends of the lower section to allow said parts to be raised, a part of the lid hinged to one of the movable parts, and means to support said movable part in an upright position and the lid hinged thereto in a horizontal position to form a canopy over the head end of the lower section, as set forth.

5. In a casket or burial-case, the combination of a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section divided intermediate its length into two parts, said parts being hinged to opposite ends of the lower section, means to secure said parts in a vertical position, a divided lid a part of which is hinged to each of the inner ends of the movable parts, said parts of the lid being adapted to lie in a horizontal position supported on the upper ends of the movable parts when they are raised, and extend toward each other over the lower section of the casket, as set forth.

6. In a casket or burial-case, a canopy-top over each end of the casket, formed of the body of the casket, and the lid, and adapted to be folded to complete and close the casket, substantially as described and shown.

7. In a casket or burial-case, a canopy above the case, formed from a part of the lid, and a support for said canopy mounted on the case, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HARRY T. LOOMIS.

IVitnesses:

FRANK O. DRAKE, F. J. BALDWIN. 

